THOUSANDS of small firms in the south east could be leaving themselves open to cyber-attack because they have little or no business-grade cyber security measures.

That is the message from BT, following new research it has commissioned.

A survey of decision-makers at UK businesses found that thousands of small firms may be at risk because they are relying on security products that are not designed for business use.

With the majority of small firms moving online during the pandemic, opportunistic cyber criminals have also stepped up their efforts to target them.

READ MORE: Uber competitor to launch service in Southampton this week

BT’s research reveals that 34 per cent of those in the south east do not have the right level of protection.

It also found 3 per cent of businesses are not using any cyber protection at all.

Chris Sims, a managing director at BT, said: “There has been a huge shift over the past two years in the number of small firms in South East (13 per cent) moving more of their business online. Whilst that’s a really encouraging trend, being an online business can also bring its challenges, particularly around cyber security.

“Any digital business – large or small – can be a target for cyber criminals, and this is something we’ve seen during the pandemic. And whilst consumer-grade products are great for protecting you while surfing the web, accessing emails and other personal use, they’re not designed for running a business which requires more robust protection and safeguards.

“It’s clear that our smallest firms need more support in this area, so today we’re launching new free cyber security tools for our BT business broadband customers, together with free online advice to help upskill small businesses on how to stay safe online.”

 

 

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